Keegan Bradley, the U.S. Ryder Cup captain, has confessed that his responsibilities as captain are inescapable, even when he’s trying to get some sleep.
The PGA Tour star, who was appointed as the U.S. Ryder Cup team captain in July 2024, is already deep in preparations for the upcoming competition at Bethpage Black in New York this September.
While the teams have not been officially confirmed, Bradley has decided to retain the option of six captain’s picks. This means six players will automatically qualify from the points list, with Scottie Scheffler (Q), J.J. Spaun (Q), and Xander Schauffele (Q) having already secured their spots.
The top 12 currently includes Russell Henley, Bryson DeChambeau, Harris English, Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa, Ben Griffin, captain Bradley himself, Maverick McNealy, and Brian Harman. Bradley admits that his role as captain is constantly on his mind, even during his downtime at night.
With just over a month until the competition, the U.S. team is gearing up to reclaim the Ryder Cup after their defeat in 2023. “Thinking a lot more about it now,” Bradley shared.
He added: “I’m laying in bed thinking about golf balls that the guys play, thinking about pairings, certainly amped up. I think I’ve done — I’m really proud of the way I’ve been able to get inside the ropes and be a player this year. I didn’t know how this was going to go.”
He concluded: “No one knew how this was going to go. I think most people thought I was going to have a horrible year. But that’s one of the things I’m most proud of.
“I’m proud that I won Hartford, but I’m also really proud to have been able to perform inside the ropes with everything going on. There’s no reason why I can’t continue to do that these next two weeks. We’ve got a lot on the line, and I hope to continue.”
Bradley remains undecided about whether he’ll compete himself. “I’ve been saying all year you can’t expect to be on the team unless you’re in the top six. My goal is to go out there, whether I was Ryder Cup captain or not this week, and play well and play well next week at the TOUR Championship as well,” he declared.
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“There’s definitely a lot more on my plate here these next couple of weeks. The Ryder Cup has always been so far away, and now it’s right there. Things are definitely amping up. I still have a lot to prove just as well as everyone around me on the list.”
Scheffler has heaped praise on Bradley for his dedicated approach to the captaincy role. The world No.1 believes Bradley has “exceeded expectations.
“For me, I’m treating the Ryder Cup as a real team. We’re not going off past Ryder Cups or what they did. I’m trying to act like this is a team that plays all year round,” Bradley explained. “I think an advantage that I’ve had as captain is, I’m around the guys.
“I’m around the guys in practice rounds, in locker rooms, waiting in rain delays. I saw J.J. Spaun at the U.S. Open in this rain delay, and I’m looking at him, and I just like — it didn’t seem like he was in this position to win the U.S. Open.
“Seemed like we were there in a practice round. He’s joking around. I remember thinking, this guy, he’s a killer. It’s crazy. I’d be pacing around outside or whatever, so just seeing that. More importantly, getting to know the guys, it’s really forced me to really get to know them.
